Unless otherwise indicated, the foregoing is not admitted to be prior art to the claims recited herein and should not be construed as such.
A two-way satellite communication system may include a number of components such as server(s), modem(s), router(s), power supply(ies), RF electronics, antenna positioner(s) and antenna(s) that are installed on an aircraft or other mobile platform. These components may be connected together using a number of cables, and initially may not be connected and/or communicating with other components properly.
An installation process, accordingly, may include verifying the installation and the performance of the satellite communication system prior to being put into service (e.g. before flight). Typically, the installation process occurs inside the facility where assembly of the aircraft takes place, for example, within a hangar. When the installed components of the satellite communication system are ready for testing, the aircraft may be taxied out of the hangar onto the tarmac to provide visibility to a satellite in orbit. The process can be costly in terms of the personnel needed to bring the aircraft onto the tarmac and then to bring the aircraft back into the hangar after performing the testing. The process can also be time-consuming in terms of the time it takes to bring the aircraft onto the tarmac for testing, running the actual test, and then bringing the aircraft back into the hangar. These costs can be exacerbated when a fault is detected that requires troubleshooting of the installation and re-testing to be performed.